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The 1.3L is rated for 34/51 mpgUS on the Euro Urban/Extra Urban metrics. It is fuel efficient but its 14.0 seconds to 60 is lacking. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=67383)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Mazda2_Sedan.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) - Jan. 25, 2008

Mazda is zooming ahead with another the B-class sized hatch for European and Asian consumers. Will America see the upcoming sedan?

HIROSHIMA, Japan – The Mazda2 will soon be available as a three-door hatch for Asia and Europe. The light weight, fuel efficient but slightly more expensive five-door hatch is already known in Europe as the class-leader in the segment. The all-new three-door will join the five-door on the showroom floor but will include an even more sporty appearance. More importantly, the Mazda2 three-door will be even lighter and less expensive than the five-door already being sold.

The latest generation Mazda2 was launched in September 2007 and was an immediate sales success in the European marketplace. The new platform was designed with a new and unique Mazda approach called “gram strategy.” The Mazda2 is nearly 220 pounds lighter compared to the previous generation with the vehicle weighing in at less than 2,200 pounds in total including a full complement of safety hardware of front, side and side curtain airbags.

The new Mazda2 three-door hatchback comes with the same 1.3L and 1.5L gasoline and 1.4L common-rail turbo diesel engines as the five-door hatch with great fuel economy and the resultant low CO2 output.

In December 2007, the Mazda2 five-door was awarded a five star crash test rating from the demanding Euro-NCAP crash testing program. Along with improved fuel efficiency, stronger performance and improved safety attributes, the Mazda2 five-door won more than 20 automotive awards include Car of the Year in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Greece and New Zealand, and Japan.

Mazda will hold the world premiere of the three-door at the Geneva International Motor Show held from March 4 through March 16, 2008.

This is the type of car we desperately need on our roads -- something very efficient at a very affordable price.

Why is there so much emphasis on 0-60mph times anyway??

Well...in Europe or Japan it's easier to get away with a slow car...because most other cars are slow too. Here, where you have to compete with quicker vehicles, the lack of power becomes a distinct liability where it's not in Europe or Japan. Plus, if you're an average driver trying to keep up with traffic here, a highly-stressed little engine may not yield the fantastic fuel economy we would hope for. It would take a mileage-oriented driver to realize many of the benefits...which most folks are definitely not.

At this point, my Saturn takes over 15 to get up to 60 mph. Give me this awesome little car and I'll feel like I'm racing. I think it's annoying that 0-60 has to be under 8 seconds or the car is a miserable failure.

I just wish that was a choice WE could make, and not the bean-counters and marketers. Great little car there.

heck remember when americans thought that safety in our cars was so darn boring. Detroit had heck of a time selling a car basted just on safety as well. At least that is what i have read about it.

Europeans drive much, much faster than we do

heck remember when americans thought that safety in our cars was so darn boring. Detroit had heck of a time selling a car basted just on safety as well. At least that is what i have read about it.

The '57 Fords advertised "Lifeguard Safety" features - like a padded dash top, lap belts, and a flaxible steerig wheel that bent as you hit it - an early "airbag" as it were. Sales of Fords tanked that year in what was IIRC an up year for the auto market.

Europeans drive much, much faster than we do

Once they're on motorways, sure. But when everybody has a car that accelerates to 100km/h in 15 seconds, it's a lot easier to live with than here when most folks have cars that do it in 8 seconds.

I've saw the 3-door online and I would totally buy it. It's not a Yaris competitor, its more like a less expensive Mini Cooper.


The '57 Fords advertised "Lifeguard Safety" features - like a padded dash top, lap belts, and a flaxible steerig wheel that bent as you hit it - an early "airbag" as it were. Sales of Fords tanked that year in what was IIRC an up year for the auto market.

I'm not an automotive historian, but my recollection is that in 1957 Fords actually outsold the iconic 1957 Chevrolet, so maybe you have your years wrong. 57 was a good year, 58 was bad as there was a recession.

I have to admit, 0-60 is pretty important to me... I guess I just want it all. I base all cars on my '87 1.8L 16v VW Scirocco (rip). The mileage was reasonable (probably 30, but hypermiled... who knows), it did 0-60 in ~7.7 seconds, and it weighed ~2500. 19.4 LB/HP 19.9 LB/TQ, handled like all get-out.

It's just too **** bad that cars have to weigh 3000 lbs now. Shoot, even my 2000 Nissan Altima is in the 2500 lbs range (too bad about that 2.4L motor - never could get above 35mpg).

'58 was bad across the board as you say. But I'm 99% sure it was the '57 Fords that had this happen to them. I can check again though.


EDIT: You're quite right...it was the '56 Fords, not '57's. Must have been a Freudian slip because I was never that fond of '57 Fords' styling. I remember now that you're right - the public ironically enough wasn't at all impressed with the '57 Chevy's looks, so they passed on it, apparently in favour of Fords that year.

It's just too **** bad that cars have to weigh 3000 lbs now. Shoot, even my 2000 Nissan Altima is in the 2500 lbs range (too bad about that 2.4L motor - never could get above 35mpg).

I agree with that. What the hell happened to manual windows? People can't crank their own? How about some cars with manual locks, too...manual seats and windows...radio and carpet delete...I like 'em basic. But I guess not enough buyers agree anymore to make it financially feasible.

0-60 in 14 seconds isn't very quick by today's standards, but was about average for economy cars 20-25 years ago.

Hey, I enjoy the rush of acceleration as much as anyone, having once owned a VTEC Honda and having once had a lot of fun driving a car that could do 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. But to say that someone needs a car that can do it in less than, say, 10-12 seconds to be safe or to keep up with traffic? Bulls***. That's a big fat rationalization.

My Subaru takes ~10 sec to do the job, and until last year I used to use everything it had on a frequent basis. Now that I'm hypermiling, I can't say I've needed that much power even once in the past nine months. I've used it a few times -- just for fun, to take advantage of a gap in traffic, or for the occasional redneck tuneup -- but I can't say that I've needed to. Lately I've been hearing people justify fast cars based on safety, and that's easily the biggest load of crap I've ever smelled.

And why not bring back manual choke and bias ply tires too? Just kidding, but I'm sure some people would say why not.

I don't think I'd ever go back to crank windows. It's especially nice for rear windows to have power.

I "built" a Yaris hatchback online yesterday when I saw this 3-door Mazda2. I plan to downsize my life in a couple years, so something like the 2 might be a good fit, and I'd read that the Yaris hatch is coming in an "S" version. But no "S" version for my zip code, yet anyway.

Yaris is a no-go for me for two reasons:
- center gauges
- cruise control not available on the hatch. must-have for (rare) highway trips. Keyless entry but no cruise? c'mon
- I really like a moon/sun roof, and there is not one available.

While we're at it and talking about 3-door hatches, I'd really like pop-out venting rear windows, like Civic and Accord hatchbacks had "back in the day". My 83 Civic had A/C which worked when it wanted to, but the car got good passive airflow, so it wasn't a big deal.


I agree with that. What the hell happened to manual windows? People can't crank their own? How about some cars with manual locks, too...manual seats and windows...radio and carpet delete...I like 'em basic. But I guess not enough buyers agree anymore to make it financially feasible.

I agree with that. What the hell happened to manual windows? People can't crank their own? How about some cars with manual locks, too...manual seats and windows...radio and carpet delete...I like 'em basic. But I guess not enough buyers agree anymore to make it financially feasible.

That's pretty much how I buy'em, except I keep the base radio so I don't have to run wire when I put my own stereo in. Oh, and usually I don't get AC. (I totally don't get what is wrong with people who "need" power windows and locks--they might make "sense" in your house where you would actually have to walk across the room.)

Yaris is a no-go for me for two reasons:
- center gauges
- cruise control not available on the hatch. must-have for (rare) highway trips. Keyless entry but no cruise? c'mon
- I really like a moon/sun roof, and there is not one available.



I was shopping for used Civics a few years ago. I saw one I liked with a 5-speed, but no cruise control. The dealer said, "No problem, we'll install one for you at no cost."

I bought that car and my son drives it now. The add-on cruise control works fine.

Harry

I've saw the 3-door online and I would totally buy it. It's not a Yaris competitor, its more like a less expensive Mini Cooper.




I'm not an automotive historian, but my recollection is that in 1957 Fords actually outsold the iconic 1957 Chevrolet, so maybe you have your years wrong. 57 was a good year, 58 was bad as there was a recession.


Yep - could compete with the Yaris, except for price!!! Anyway, I read today that New Mexico is looking at rolling back the freeway speed back to 55 mph. Don't need a rocket to do 55!! That would be cool!!

And why not bring back manual choke and bias ply tires too? Just kidding, but I'm sure some people would say why not.

I don't think I'd ever go back to crank windows. It's especially nice for rear windows to have power.

I "built" a Yaris hatchback online yesterday when I saw this 3-door Mazda2. I plan to downsize my life in a couple years, so something like the 2 might be a good fit, and I'd read that the Yaris hatch is coming in an "S" version. But no "S" version for my zip code, yet anyway.

Yaris is a no-go for me for two reasons:
- center gauges
- cruise control not available on the hatch. must-have for (rare) highway trips. Keyless entry but no cruise? c'mon
- I really like a moon/sun roof, and there is not one available.

While we're at it and talking about 3-door hatches, I'd really like pop-out venting rear windows, like Civic and Accord hatchbacks had "back in the day". My 83 Civic had A/C which worked when it wanted to, but the car got good passive airflow, so it wasn't a big deal.

I'm not so hot on bias plies...but I'm considering going manual choke on my Mustang - it barely needs a choke to begin with, and electric chokes are strange, finicky beasts anyway. Why keep enriching the mixture if you don't have to, right?

I have to agree with the center gauges...they drive me nuts too. Although, if my GF gets the Yaris she's been talking about, I may have to get used to them anyway.

As for the windows...+1, and bring back the front vent windows, too. Between the two, they almost make a/c obsolete.